Improved ice-creeper



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

D. GREENE, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED ICE-CREEPER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, D. GREENE, of Troy, inthe county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented a new anduseful Improvementin Ice-Creepers for Boots and Shoes; and I doherebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use thesame, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings,torming part ofthis specification.

The subject of my said invention is an icecreeper adapted for attachmentto the front of the boot-heel in such a manner as to avoid any unsightlyor inconvenient projection backward orlaterally beyond the heel 5 andthe in-v vention further consists in improved means of securing thetoothed bar in position beneath the heel when wanted for use, or withinthe hollow of the boot, so as to be completely out of the way and ont ofsight when not in use.

The advantages of thus securing anicecreeper to a boot or shoe are many,among which may be mentioned its convenience, as it can be convenientlyworn on the boot, if

` desired, even when in the house, without injuring or defacing thetloor or carpets of the same.

In the accompanying plate ot' drawings my improvement is illustrated,Figure 1 being a side View of the sole and heel of aboot or shoe with myimproved ice-creeperapplied; Fig.2, a view ot' under side ot'heel andcreeper; Fig.

3, a sectional View of sole, showing inner end of heel.

a a in the drawings represent the sole of a* boot or shoe, bits shank,and c its heel. To inner and front end, d, of heel is fastened, byscrewsff, a small metallic plate, g, having attached thereto or forminga part ot' the saine, and in the direction of its length, a iXed shaft,k, with short pivots t l at each end.

m is the ice-creeper, made of a narrow strip of metal, with 011e edge,n, serrated or provided with a series of sharp teeth, o o o, Src., andbent by any proper means into the form of nearlya complete circle, asseen at p in Fig. 2, the width between its two ends g and r being equal,or nearly so, to the length of the lixed shaft h of the heel. In eachend of the creeper is an aperture, s, by which they are placed upon thepivots of the fixed shaft, and upon each face of the creeper next incontact with the fixed shaftis a projecting tooth, t, corresponding towhich in shape are notches y y, tc., at

points diametrically opposite to each other upon each end of said shafth. The creeper, when placed upon the pivots of the fixed shaft, isiirmly held thereon by the spring imparted to the same in bending itintotheform described, but can be turned upon the pivots at pleasure.

Vhen the creeper is in use it lies upon the treading-surface of theheel, as represented in Fig. 2, where it is held by the interlocking ofits side teeth, t t, with the notches upon the outer portion of theiiXed shaft; but,it'not desired to use the same, it is swung around uponits pivots into the position represented by red lilies in Fig. l, underthe shank, where, it is evident, it is entirely removed from thetreading-surface of the boot, it being there firmly held by itsside-teeth, t t, interlocking with the notches upon the inner side ofthefixed shaft, the bentand spring form of the creeper in each case causingit to be tightly held in either ot' its said positions.

In lie-u ot' forming the creeper in a circular shape, as described, itcan be formed or bent into various other shapes, it being only necessarythat such a form should be given to it as will cause it to have theelasticity and force of a spring. whereby it can lock itself in positionupon the boot vor shoe, substantially as described.

The locking-teeth, in lieu ofbeingformed on the creeper,can be aswellformed on the iixed shaft and the notches in the creeper.

It is evident that the creeper can be also attached to the heel so as toswing away from its treading-surface, in lieu ofunder the shank, asdescribed, up againstthe counter, and also the creeper can be arrangedupon the sole of the boot or shoe, as well as upon its heel, so as toswing in and under the shank; but I deem the arrangement hereinabovedescribed the best and the most practical, as well as most convenientand advantageous.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- The combination of the elastic serrated bow m n andattachments gli. l, when constructed as shown and described,and adaptedfor application to a common boot without projecting horizontally beyondthe area of the latter.

D. GREENE.

Witnesses J. T. FONDEN, '.I. B. HEIMSTREET.

